Football glove

ABSTRACT

AN ATHLETIC GLOVE FOR HOLDING THE FINGERS OF FOOTBALL PLAYERS CLOSED TO ENCOURAGE PROPER TACKLING INCLUDES A FINGER RECEIVING POCKET WHICH IS MAINTAINED IN FOLDED POSITION WITH A FREE FORWARD END FOLDED BACK ADJACENT A FRONT PORTION COVERING THE PALM.

H. B. HOBBS FODTBALL GLOVE Sept. 20, 1971 Filed Oct. 27. 1969 IIIIiJulIlllllFlll .8 7 m m E no N w R w m N T I /A R a E E M. o a Hg w. B

United States Patent Ofice 3,605,120 FOOTBALL GLOVE Homer B. Hobbs, P.O.Box 323, Lithia Springs, Ga. 30057 Filed Oct. 27, 1969, Ser. No. 869,827Int. Cl. A41d 13/10, 19/00, 19/02 US. Cl. 2--159 2 Claims ABSTRACT OFTHE DISCLOSURE An athletic glove for holding the fingers of footballplayers closed to encourage proper tackling includes a finger receivingpocket which is maintained in folded position with a free forward endfolded back adjacent a front portion covering the palm.

This invention relates to athletic equipment and particularly to a glovefor encouraging a football player, especially a lineman, to tackleproperly.

The importance of a football player tackling with the arms and bodyavoiding efforts to grasp with the fingers has long been recognized.This is especially important to linemen, and if the fingers are clenchedit helps to encourage the proper stance initiating a football play. Inother words, it encourages a lineman to assume the three point positionand then tackle with the body and arms. Of course, the invention wouldbe important for all players especially those concerned with defense,and'where tackling is involved.

Accordingly, it is an important object of this invention to provide anathletic glove which maintains the fingers clenched, but permit freemovement of the thumb of a football player.

Another important object of the present invention is to encourage afootball player to assume the proper stance at the initiation of a playin football.

The construction designed to carry out the invention will be hereinafterdescribed, together with other features thereof.

The invention Will be more readily understood from a reading of thefollowing specification and by reference to the accompanying drawingforming a part thereof, wherein an example of the invention is shown andwherein:

FIG. 1 is a top plan view illustrating the glove in position on the handof a wearer,

FIG. 2 is a perspective view further illustrating the glove of thepresent invention preparatory to receiving the hand of FIG. 1,

FIG. 3 is a top plan view similar to that of FIG. 1, but without thehand illustrating the parts in folded position for packaging, and

FIG. 4 is a transverse sectional elevation taken on the line 44 in FIG.3.

The drawing illustrates an athletic glove including a rear portion Aextending across the back of a users hand. A front portion B extendsacross the palm of the hand. Means C join a forward marginal portion ofthe rear portion to a superposed forward marginal portion of the frontportion forming a finger receiving pocket 20, the pocket having aforward end. A side opening D below the pocket on at least one sidebetween the rear portion and the front portion allows a thumb to freelextend therethrough. Means E secures said pocket in folded position withthe forward end thereof folded back adja- 3,605,120 Patented Sept. 20,1971 cent an end of the front portion remote from the forward marginalportion thereof. Means F secure the rear portion and the front portionsnugly about a wrist. Thus, the fingers of a football player may bepinned down to encourage proper tackling. As best illustrated in FIGS. 1and 3 the pocket 20 tapers inwardly and forwardly.

It will be noted that the glove is preferably constructed of textilematerial, and that the means F for securing the rear portion and thefront portion about the wrist may be in the form of laces, such as shoelaces. The rear portion A has sides folded .over as at 10 and secureddown by stitching 11. The front portion has similar sides folded over asat 12 and secured by stitching 13. The means C for forming the pocket 20includes stitching and it will be noted in FIG. 4 that the stitchingserves as an addition to the means E in securing the pocket in foldedposition. The means E includes an elongated strip of textile material,the sides of which are folded over as at 10a and secured down bystitching 11a. The opening D for the thumb is formed by terminating thestitching C and permitting an opening between the marginal portions 10and 12.

The glove illustrated has been constructed especially to accommodate theleft hand since the side opposite the opening D is also illustrated asbeing open, but such may be designed for use on the right hand, or eachglove may be used on either hand. It will be noted that the portion Ehas a downwardly folded portion 14 at the top which forms a loop 15 onone side for receiving the laces or means F. The means F for securingthe rear portion and the front portion snugly about the wrist of thewearer includes the laces 17 and the loops 15 and 16.

As best illustrated in FIG. 1 the laces are passed about the wrist ofthe wearer in opposite directions and fastened together as by a bow 18.The glove is folded, pulling in the laces 17, to the positionillustrated in FIGS. 3 and 4 and is unfolded, pulling the rear and frontportions A and B to open position, but shown in FIG. 2, wherein, thelaces are pulled partially out as illustrated. A loop 16 is formed onthe other side and forms a part of the means F for accommodating thelaces 17 of the means F.

While a preferred embodiment of the invention has been described usingspecific terms, such description is for illustrative purposes only, andit is to be understood that changes and variations may be made withoutdeparting from the spirit or scope of the following claims.

What is claimed is:

1. An athletic glove comprising a fiat flexible rear portion extendingacross the back of a users hand, a fiat flexible front portion extendingacross the palm of the hand, means joining a forward marginal portion ofsaid rear portion to a superposed forward marginal portion of said frontportion forming a finger receiving pocket, said pocket having a forwardend, a side opening below said pocket on at least one side between therear portion and the front portion allowing a thumb to freely extendtherethrough, means permanently securing said pocket in folded positionwith the forward end thereof folded back adjacent an end of the frontportion remote from the forward marignal portion thereof, and meanssecuring the rear portion and the front portion snugly about a wrist,whereby the fingers of a football player may be pinned down to permitassumption of the proper three point position and proper tackling.

2. An athletic glove as set forth in claim 1, wherein said fingerreceiving pocket tapers inwardly and forwardly.

(References on following page) References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTSMonaghan 2-158X Kessler 2158X Broderick 218 Bitting 2158X Sweet et a1.2--18 Barry 2-159 FOREIGN PATENTS 5 G. V. LARKIN, Assistant Examiner US.Cl. X.R. 2-16

